Hotteok (Sweet Korean Filled Pancakes)
Local name: 호떡
In short: Yeasted wheat pancakes stuffed with brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts, pressed flat and pan-fried until the syrup inside turns molten. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Hotteok is a winter street snack: a soft yeast dough filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts, flattened in a hot pan and fried until crisp outside and gooey within. Vendors hand them over in paper cups, and the first bite should be careful, because the syrup inside is very hot. A little glutinous rice flour in the dough makes it pleasantly chewy. Make them fresh and eat them within minutes.
Instructions
- Mix both flours, the yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the warm water and 1 tbsp oil and stir into a sticky dough. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and sesame seeds for the filling.
- Oil your hands well. Divide the dough into 8 pieces of about 60 g each and flatten one in your palm into a disc.
- Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the middle, pull the dough up around it and pinch the seam shut firmly so the sugar cannot leak. Repeat with the rest.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Place 3 balls seam side down and cook for 1 minute.
- Press each ball flat into a 10 cm (4 inch) disc with an oiled spatula. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until crisp and the sugar has melted.
- Rest the hotteok for 1 minute, then serve warm. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining balls and oil.
Tips
- Keep the heat at medium-low. A hotter pan browns the dough before the sugar inside melts, and any leaked sugar burns quickly.
- A savory version is also sold on the street, filled with seasoned glass noodles and vegetables instead of the sweet filling.
Questions and answers
Why does the filling leak out of my hotteok?
The seam is probably not sealed well, or the dough was stretched too thin. Pinch the seam firmly and cook the pancake seam side down first.
Can I make hotteok dough ahead of time?
Yes. Cover the risen dough and refrigerate it overnight, then let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling and frying.
Can I freeze hotteok?
Yes. Freeze the cooked pancakes for up to 2 months and reheat them in a dry pan over low heat until hot and crisp. The filling becomes molten again.
How long does it take to make Hotteok (Sweet Korean Filled Pancakes)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Hotteok (Sweet Korean Filled Pancakes)?
About 270 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 42 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
